Jasper County Democrat, Volume 6, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 December 1903 — WASHIHCTOH COSSIP [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WASHIHCTOH COSSIP

Is cun sequence of the Democratic victory la New York City, Hon. Charleu Towns, ex-Senator, ex-Congressman, ex-

vice presidential nominee and ex-resident of Minnesota, will become a prominent figure in the Democratic national convention and may be either presidential or vies presidential candidate. He Is s Tammanyite and New Yorker. He took an active part In the New York campaign and, in his capacity as spellbinder.

did aa much aa any other one man to bring about the election of McClellan. Town* was a member of the United States House of Representatives In 1885, ’B6 and ’B7. Be was elected as s Republican, but left the party when the gold standard was written into the creed In *BO. Towne then practically organized the Silver-Republican party. In 1800 ha was appointed to the United States Senate to fill an unexpired term of two months. In the past two years he has made a fortune in Wall street, mostly as a promoter of Texas oil properties. -:—:-

The monthly statement of the public debt shows that at the close of business Nov. 80, 1903, the debt, less cash in the treasury, amounted to $925,829,410, an Increase for the month of $5,420,909. The debt proper shows a decrease of about $4,000,000 for the mouth. It is rscapitulated as follows: Interest-bearing debt 9 902,911,240 Debt on which interest has ceased since maturity ' 1,198,720 Debt bearing no interest 890,898,879 Total .$1,295,006,829 This amount, however, does not Include $931,206,869 in certificates snd treasury notes outstanding, which are offset by an equal amount of cash held for their redemption. The cash In the treasury la classified as follows; Gold reserve $ 150.000,000 Trust funds 931,206,809 General fund 144.793,557 In national bank depositories.. 168,047,000 In treasury of Philippine Islands .. 4,908,445 Total $1,398,957,982 Against this there are demand liabilities outstanding amounting to $1,029,720,503, which leaves a cash balance on hand of $369,237,429.

While there is no disposition to pass a bill raising the salaries of Congressmen, It Is growing more apparent each year that the existing stipend is wholly Inadequate, and that few men without private fortunes will consent to remain in public life. With every Congress not a few useful men quietly drop out on this account. A New England representative used to say facetiously that there were two classes of men, speaking from the financial point of view, who should come to Congress—those who were so rich that •air amount of appeal for money could affect them adversely, and those so poor that the worst hauger-on would not waste his time In hunting them up. As this member said he belonged to neither class. Congress was no place for him. There was a time twenty years or more ago when by common consent this waa not the case. A Congressman could live in reasonable comfort on his salary. Bat standards of entertainment are constantly rising here, as elsewhere, and few men can afford to wholly omit social obligations. -f —s-

The amendment of the timber and stone law as proposed by Senator Hansbrough’s bill, Introduced the other day, In the opinion of many Irrigation advocates may have a disastrous effect upon the irrigation law, killing its homemakiug features and leaving it a convenient end profitable tool for grasping speculators and cattle men. The irrigation act provide* that the government shall store the fioodwaters and construct dams and diverting works, the land, when reclaimed, to be divided into small farms end given to homemakers and settlers. The Hansbrongh amendment, it is claimed, would allow the land* to be filed upon in tract* of unlimited acreage by individuals or corporations holding lien land rights for is the forest reserves. —}»

In his annual report to the district commissioners. Major Bylvester, superintendent of the Washington police force, says that the cocaine habit is greatly on tto increase among the lower classes inf the capital city, and that rigorous measures should be taken at once to check the evil. “It Is bound to become a destructive agency unless something is done to prevent its sale by druggists,” he says. “Two years ago the drug was hardly known, but the habit has grown, and the wreck of lives which accompanies the use of this deadly drug and its sister drugs, morphine, chloral and other pharmaceutical preparations, and even patent medicines. Is becoming apparent.” The comparative statement of the government receipts and expenditures shows that for November the total receipts were $44,692,594, and the expenditures $47,427,788, leaving a deficit for the month of $2,735,194. The receipts from customs are shown to have been $19,220,347, a decrease for the month of abont $3,370,000; Internal revenue, $21,235,511, an increase of $2,388,000; miscellaneous, $4,238,735, Increase, $2,000,000. The expenditures on account of the War Department show a decrease of $1,460,000. For the navy an Increase is shown of $3,703,000. • WJ. * The fight for statehood for Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma and probably Indian Territory is fairly on the way. Senator Quay again is the champion of statehood. Nothing Is to be done In the direction of securing statehood until the regular session ■ Then the suhject la to bOvPrecipltated in the House, where quick action Is confidently expected upon a WIL Senator Quay expresses the opinion that Indian Territory should be included la those to be admitted to the Union and a provision to that effect probably will bn iaclnded in the bilk _

CHAS. TOWNE.